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Loving Option Adoption— living the Gospel of life
By Beth Schmitt
On Sept. 20, I was privileged to be a member of a team of volunteers that organized and hosted the second annual Barn Dance to raise funds for Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s (CCETN) adoption ministry, A
Commentary
Loving Option Adoption. The adoption ministry works alongside Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Help Center, and CCETN A Loving Option Adoption program manager Chasity Galyon and her team operate a powerful, amazing initiative supporting women across East Tennessee. They truly walk
Mrs. Schmitt Commentary continued on page B2
Dr. Kelly Kearse asserts that science has not proven the blood on the Shroud of Turin is that of Christ
By Bill Brewer
Dr. Kelly Kearse wants to set the record straight—again. After headlines about the Shroud of Turin grabbed international attention in recent weeks with claims that biological material on the shroud is from a Jewish male with type AB blood and is undoubtedly Jesus Christ, Dr. Kearse is putting the brakes on certain assertions made by the “shroud crowd” regarding the bloodstains present on the cloth.
The faithful Catholic, scientist, and former chemistry teacher who lives in the Diocese of Knoxville isn’t making his observations from the sidelines. He finds himself in the middle of the reignited debate that has stirred passions for centuries. The bottom line for Dr. Kearse is that the strength of scientific claims should never be exaggerated or over-hyped to try to sell a particular viewpoint.
Dr. Kearse was a speaker at the Shroud of Turin 2025 International Conference & Symposium, held July 30-Aug. 3 at the Augustine Institute in St. Louis. His contention based on scientific evidence has been that research and testing on the shroud hasn’t conclusively demonstrated that the blood on the shroud is human and male, much less from the Son of Man.
No scientific evidence exists to conclusively prove that the image on the Shroud of Turin is Jesus Christ. Dr. Kearse also freely ac-
knowledges science hasn’t proven that the image isn’t Jesus Christ either. He is not alone. His view is shared by others in the scientific community, including those who have carefully studied the shroud. And his view is also that of the Catholic Church.
The shroud continues to be one
of the most discussed religious artifacts in history. After hundreds of years of observations, conjecture, reviews, studies, postulations, and experiments, mankind still isn’t close to solving the mystery that continues to captivate public attention, according to Dr. Kearse. But Dr. Jeremiah J. Johnston is
among those who very publicly proclaim their belief that science says once and for all the image is Christ. The evangelical New Testament scholar and Baptist pastor appeared on popular commentator Tucker Carlson’s podcast on Aug. 8 (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rKMQY49py4w) and made bold claims about the shroud. He also appeared on popular commentator Piers Morgan’s “Uncensored” talk show (www.youtube. com/watch?v=uR_Tx3s7SIc) in August with similar commentary on the shroud.
“What is unique about this burial cloth, Tucker, is that it has embedded in it the image of a crucified man that has complete correspondence with what we know of crucifixion in the Roman Empire, specifically as it relates to Jesus of Nazareth,” Dr. Johnston said. When asked what makes him think the image on the Shroud of Turin is that of Jesus, Dr. Johnston remarked, “Because all of it matches the way in which Jesus was crucified, and that’s what’s powerful about the shroud. For example, on the shroud we have blood all over it. And the blood is interesting. It’s been tested. It’s type AB blood, which is Semitic blood. Only 6 percent of the world’s population has type AB blood. And so this is human blood. It’s male blood. It’s not blood of an animal. It’s not a hoax. You would have to actually kill someone if you were trying to Shroud continued on page B3
‘So much good fruit’ Moms, dads, and babies stand with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee staffers at the Barn Dance on Sept. 20 at Knoxville Catholic High School. CCETN executive director Deacon David Duhamel is at far right. Chasity Galyon, program manager for A Loving Option Adoption, is second from right and Erin Mobley, a birth parent specialist with A Loving Option Adoption, stands at far left.
Setting the record straight Dr. Kelly Kearse is a researcher into the Shroud of Turin and a former chemistry teacher at Knoxville Catholic High School.
program manager for A Loving Option Adoption. “Beyond that, we’ve also walked alongside mothers who, after receiving our support, ultimately chose to parent—and we count that as a win, too, because they were given care, resources, and the dignity of real choice.”
Ms. Galyon emphasized that highly intensive case management is provided to the birth mothers served by A Loving Option Adoption.
“So many of them need assistance with things like insurance, transportation to prenatal appointments, a support person in the delivery room, or someone to care for their other child while they attend appointments,” she noted. “I wish I could fully convey the depth of all that goes into what we do in our roles. Just know that our goal is always to honor birth moms, bless adoptive families, and seek the very best interest of each precious baby with every decision we make.”
Ms. Galyon presented the adoptive families in attendance to those at the fundraiser. They included Susie and Jonathan Benz and their son, Jonathan Tytan, who goes by JT, and Heather and Caleb Bolton and their son, Reid.
“Both of these families have powerful stories to share about the gift of adoption and the impact of this agency,” Ms. Galyon said.
The Benz and Bolton families shared their captivating adoption stories with those attending the Barn Dance. All ears were on Mrs. Benz and Mrs. Bolton while all eyes were on Mr. Benz holding JT and Mr. Bolton holding Reid.
“JT’s claim to fame here is that he was the first child adopted through A Loving Option. He is almost 2, and it is our greatest privilege in life to be able to raise him. He is an absolute joy,” Mrs. Benz said, sharing the couple’s special news with the audience. “We are also waiting to adopt our second child, and JT is as ready for that as we are. He is pumped about babies!”
Mrs. Benz acknowledged that she and her husband had many questions when first considering adoption.
“The first questions we had for the agency related to how birth parents are cared for,” she said. “First of all, are they ethical, and second, do
they prioritize educating the parents regarding their options? Third, will they coach us through the best ways to communicate with a birth family?”
“We chose A Loving Option because of their answers to those questions, which made us feel confident that the birth family and the child would be prioritized and respected,” Mrs. Benz added.
She noted that JT’s birth mother chose a closed adoption, so she and her husband were unable to meet her. However, the Benzes were comforted to know that Ms. Galyon and Erin Mobley, who is a birth parent specialist with A Loving Option Adoption, were caring for the birth mother.
“They (Ms. Galyon and Ms. Mobley) feel like family to us. The excellent work they do takes time, blood, sweat, tears, and quite frankly lots of money,” Mrs. Benz said, offering that she and her husband experienced a “complicated, disrupted adoption” a year ago where the birth mother was able to keep her child because of the care of A Loving Option Adoption.
“This took several weeks of hard, emotional work on their part. They were there with us and with her every step of the way, going above and beyond what we ever expected or hoped for. They were there with us and the birth parents into the wee hours of the night. We are so grateful for their efforts on our behalf, and for their ability to show up for families in need,” she remarked.
Mr. and Mrs. Bolton had a similar experience with A Loving Option Adoption, which prompted Mrs. Bolton to share their story.
“My whole life I wanted to be a mother. When I was a little girl, I would pretend I was a mom with many children. What always stood out to my mother was that I pretended I was adopting my baby dolls. Adoption has always been in the back of my mind. Looking back, I know that was the Lord preparing my heart for what was to come even at a young age,” Mrs. Bolton said. “When we finally decided to inquire about adoption, a friend did a search of Tennessee adoption agencies for me. She had adopted before in another state but knew what to look for in an agency. I called the first one on the list. It was A Loving Option.”
Like the Benzes, the Boltons had
‘Powerful stories to share’ Catholic Charities’ adoption staff and Barn Dance committee members gather for a photo. From left are Krista McGrath, Chasity Galyon, Erin Mobley, Kathleen Liulevicius, Beth Schmitt, Amy Iverson, Lisa Beldyk, and Mary Iverson.
alongside expectant mothers as they either make an adoption plan for their babies or decide to parent their children. This support for the birth mother can include ensuring she has health care, food, safe shelter—and importantly—counsel, love, and support. A Loving Option Adoption truly cares about the mother, the child, and the adoptive families. They are doing God’s work, providing help, hope, and light at a time when many women see only darkness.
The adoption program was forced to close several years ago but had the opportunity to reopen following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Fulton vs. City of Philadelphia decision in 2021. The unanimous ruling enabled faithbased adoption programs to resume outreach, support for women in unplanned pregnancies, and adoption placement for women who choose not to parent their children. However, resuming the program in 2022 was not without challenges. At that point, one of the primary goals of CCETN’s A Loving Option Adoption was to generate awareness after years of having the service shuttered. As
many questions for the A Loving Option Adoption staff as they considered bringing a child into their home.
“Our adoption was a whirlwind. The Lord was with us every step of the way, and so was Chasity. We had so many questions. And never at any point did she make us feel like we were bothering her. Every e-mail, phone call, every text was answered with compassion and patience. She became part of our family,” Mrs. Bolton said.
She described their adoption as “anything but conventional.”
“We walked into the hospital with the birth mom as she was admitted. Chasity walked in with us and stayed the entire time. She never left, not once,” Mrs. Bolton said. “Erin was also there for the birth mother. Since we were in the hospital with that family, we were able to see how she interacted with the birth mom. It was beautiful. The love, care, and compassion she displayed toward this young girl was truly a representation of Christ’s love.”
Both the Benzes and Boltons were impressed at how giving and attentive Ms. Galyon and Ms. Mobley were during the adoption process.
“These two ladies never left. They never complained about the long days or the sleepless nights. They were there for us. They were truly the hands and feet of Jesus. They ministered to us during such an emotional, uncertain, and fearful time,” Mrs. Bolton shared. “I will forever be grateful for these two women, their ministry, and this organization. Without them following the leading of our Lord, we would not be parents to our beautiful son today. We thank them for listening to the voice of God. May God richly bless this organization and their ministry.”
Ms. Mobley told emotional stories of working with birth mothers as they go through the adoption process. In walking with those mothers, Ms. Mobley spoke of how certain things trigger memories of the mothers and the sacrifices they make for their babies.
“The smell of French fries will forever remind me of (a birth mother’s) deep faith, dimpled smile, and the sacrifices she made to bring her baby safely into this world despite
the only remaining faith-based adoption program in our region, it was important to increase this awareness, not only among the faithful throughout East Tennessee, but most importantly, among East Tennessee women facing unplanned pregnancies.
“If we can’t reach her,” Ms. Galyon said of the woman they hope to serve, “we can’t help her.”
Led by St. John Neumann Parish’s pro-life ministry, and with the help of Knoxville Catholic High School, many generous sponsors, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, we raised close to $30,000 at our first Barn Dance in 2024. And happily, the team at CCETN’s A Loving Option Adoption matched seven babies and families in fiscal year 2024-25—a 600-percent increase from the previous year!
We’re confident that we exceeded last year’s fundraising total at our second annual Barn Dance event last month. Some of the funds raised enable A Loving Option Adoption to leverage a pro-life marketing firm to ensure women have visibility to this resource when they search out options online or through social media platforms. But growing the number
of women and families served can come only with even more financial support for the ministry team at A Loving Option Adoption.
To serve more women, babies, and families, A Loving Option Adoption may need to grow its team, and that can only happen with significantly more financial resources. The question for all of us is, how else can we help them? As members of the Catholic Church, I believe we must be on the offensive, certainly to proclaim the Gospel of life, but we must also “walk the talk.” It’s not enough to vote prolife, although that’s certainly critically important. We must also actively support the women who, rather than leave our state for an abortion, choose to have their babies and parent them or place them with adoptive families like those we celebrated at the Barn Dance in September.
The money we raised last month was the result of an effort organized by just a handful of volunteers from one parish in the Diocese of Knoxville. Imagine the power if all the faithful throughout the diocese participated in financial support for this amazing faith-based adoption
‘He is an absolute joy’ Adoptive mother Susie Benz attends the Barn Dance. Her son, JT, stands at right. Mrs. Benz is holding adoptive family Heather and Caleb Bolton’s son, Reid.
her own personal tragedies,” she said, encouraging the audience to say a prayer for that mother and others like her who may need an advocate and an understanding voice. She shared that Subway cookies remind her of a young mother who was judged on social media for being pregnant and deciding to place her baby with adoptive parents.
“I ask you to say a prayer for this mom who was misunderstood and felt the weight of shame. Shame dies when stories are told in safe places. Please pray for her and for future moms who need to find safe places,” Ms. Mobley said. Other seemingly simple things, like ladybugs, white noise machines, and hourglasses, are instant reminders to Ms. Mobley of young mothers in crisis as they desperately reached for someone to hold while they contemplated keeping their baby or placing it for adoption.
“Please pray for mothers to be able to find safe people in their community to help process this grief and for future moms who may carry crushing secrets as well. Please pray for all the moms who are abandoned, ostracized from family, and exposed in other ways they never wanted. Please pray for birth moms’ physical and emotional fragility and for the physical and emotional safety of future birth moms as well,” she said.
“Finally, there are the tears in a bottle. When I look at these incredible children, I remember the honor and privilege of being present at each of their births, and I do not take lightly the trust birth parents bravely extend both to this agency and to the adoptive families. We are called to be His hands, His feet, and His heart, and as we serve and display the truth of Psalm 56:9, which promises He has collected all our tears in a bottle and He keeps count of all of our troubles,” Ms. Mobley said.
“I ask you to pray for His grace as we seek to demonstrate to these moms that they are seen, they are loved, and their stories are held by the One who holds the stars. He redeems all, and His redemption is shining through the adoptive families today,” she concluded.
For more information about Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s A Loving Option Adoption ministry, go to alovingoptionadoption.org ■
team. They are quite literally saving lives and providing hope to both birth mothers and families praying for a child of their own.
There are no doubt hundreds, if not thousands, of women in our state without hope. Yet the team at CCETN’s A Loving Option Adoption is providing that hope by giving them a loving option. They’re shining a light to women throughout our region who need a glimmer of light to shine into their lives. We, too, can bring them hope, bring them love, and share God’s grace with them through our financial support of A Loving Option Adoption. To do that, I’d like to encourage you all to become a recurring donor to A Loving Option Adoption. You can do that easily by scanning this QR code. It’s a secure link and it only takes a second to walk the talk and actively live the Gospel of life. ■
Beth Schmitt is a parishioner of St. John Neumann
JUDY PICKERING
reproduce the shroud because we have premortem and postmortem blood all over the shroud. So, that’s interesting. So, this tells us that someone died a torturous death, a death where he was flogged. We see scourges….”
Then on the Piers Morgan show, Dr. Johnston said, “The shroud is fascinating in that we have hundreds of burial shrouds from the land of Israel that wrapped Jewish corpses. We have only one shroud that has the image of a crucified man that corresponds with all the of realities that we read in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and Josephus by the way, of how Jesus was brutally crucified under the hands of Pontius Pilate. That is my area of specialty, so if it’s not a hoax, what is it? Because I’m not irrational, I believe the shroud belongs to the historical Jesus.”
Not so fast, said Dr. Kearse following the St. Louis conference in which he spoke about blood on the shroud. Dr. Johnston also spoke at the Shroud of Turin conference and sat in on Dr. Kearse’s lecture, even asking Dr. Kearse a question.
“I presented on two things. I presented on a kind of state of the union: what’s known about the blood characteristics here in 2025. I had written this paper that covered everything back in 2012 or so, and some things have changed,” Dr. Kearse said. “So, one part was an update on the whole thing. I did another part on studies related to blood transfer to cloth. Both ended up getting picked up in the media.”
Dr. Kearse explained that media coverage of his report on blood transfer to the cloth received “superhyped” headlines such as “Study proves authenticity of Jesus,” which was way beyond what the study was intended to show.
Sensationalized headlines and conflated commentary on the shroud image have stoked Dr. Kearse’s displeasure with statements he believes are based on emotion rather than intellect.
“He (Dr. Johnston) said it has been scientifically determined that blood from the shroud is from a male, that it is human, that it is type AB, and that it is Semitic blood. These are his claims. And then he said he has read all the scientific articles and found them fascinating because this is what the scientists have determined. He also said there are high levels of creatinine and ferritin that are indicative of polytrauma, a body that has really gone through a lot of torture and stress, and also that the shroud is covered in premortem blood and postmortem blood.”
Dr. Kearse disagrees with each of these statements, and explained, “This is a cloth that is 700-2,000 years old. There is currently no scientific test where you can take a fiber from a cloth that age and test it in a lab to see if it is premortem or postmortem blood. Part of this conclusion was also based on color. These blood stains group into this color and that color. But the author associates all these with different events in the Gospel. There is no scientific test where you can take blood that is 700-2,000 years old and say based on color this has to have been before death and this has to have been after death.”
“When you do an objective study of the blood like that, which you have to do, scientifically you have to separate the blood from any image because the blood is associated with different parts of the body on the image. You have to separate it out from that. I think you also have to separate out any Gospel narrative. You just have to scientifically examine the blood as blood and what can be told. Those studies don’t do that. The one about high levels of creatinine and ferritin proves there was polytrauma, the person in the cloth underwent significant physical trauma, significant physical torture. The study that came out in 2017 said that. What is not mentioned [by Dr. Johnston] is the study was retracted a year later. He never mentions that the story was retracted,” Dr. Kearse added. “Here is what the editors said: they were concerned about the ‘validity of the conclusions and the
reproducibility of the results.’ Fur-
ther, the editors voiced ‘there are not sufficient controls to support conclusions referring to human blood or physical trauma.’ You can look this paper up on the Internet. It will have a huge ‘Retracted’ across it.”
“One of the authors [of the retracted paper] did a follow-up study in 2024 about the premortem and postmortem blood. And incredibly he references the retracted paper in that study and says the same exact thing again. This is what he said, ‘As reported in the cited paper.’ This is the one that’s retracted. ‘The presence of numerous creatinine particles and ferritin confirms at a microscopic level the very heavy torture suffered by Jesus in the holy Shroud of Turin,’” Dr. Kearse said, pointing out that the claims are from a rescinded article.
“He references a retracted paper. It’s incredible. Scientifically, you wouldn’t even think about doing something like this. He makes some statement that he disagrees with the retraction. Of course he does. You hear this exaggeration about polytrauma based on high levels of ferritin, creatinine found on the cloth, but you never hear that the study was retracted a year later. You just hear that first part,” Dr. Kearse continued.
Dr. Kearse acknowledged that he wasn’t one of the observers who pointed out issues with the shroud article. But he read it and came to the same conclusion: “In these papers they will show profiles of elements, and it’s impressive when you see them, but you can take a lot of organic material and, unrelated, get a very similar profile. So, scientifically, it’s extremely exaggerated, which, I think, is why the editors decided to go back and retract it.”
Dr. Kearse, who recently retired after teaching chemistry at Knoxville Catholic High School for more than 20 years, was trained at Johns Hopkins and worked as a principal investigator at the National Institutes of Health’s cancer and immunology branch. He served as an editor for a Methods in Molecular Biology textbook, too.
He also serves as a eucharistic minister.
Dr. Kearse has earned the respect of peers in the scientific and faith communities for his knowledge and beliefs. In fact, in recent months he has published forensic science papers in the Journal of Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology and in the Journal of Forensic Science and Research. In an article just published in Forensic Science International reports, Dr. Kearse addresses the blood characteristics described by Dr. Johnston on the Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan shows point by point. In addition to the issues with the scientific identification of premortem and postmortem blood on a 700-2,000-year-old cloth, he also addresses the claims that the blood has been tested and shown to be human, male, type AB, and Semitic.
While blood type AB has been reported for the shroud as well as on the tunic of Argenteuil, which is a seamless robe, and on the sudarium of Oviedo, a face cloth, that were connected to Christ, Dr. Kearse and other scientists have pointed out that A and B antigens in the rare blood type are not unique to humans. Bacteria cells also have A and B antigens on their surfaces. So, if a sample from those cloths associated with Jesus Christ is contaminated with bacteria, even if it contains no blood at all, it could still show a type AB blood result in tests. Like most Christians, Dr. Kearse would like to believe the shroud, as well as the tunic of Argenteuil and the sudarium of Oviedo, are all connected. But as a scientist, science just won’t let him have confidence in that conclusion.
According to Dr. Kearse, the upshot of the latest controversy is that science still hasn’t proven or disproven the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin despite what a new cacophony of shroud claims maintains.
And digs at the Catholic Church by the shroud-is-real community aren’t helpful, he said.
“This same person (Dr. Johnston),
it’s incredible, he said [on the Tucker Carlson show] the Catholic Church is afraid of the Turin shroud. The Catholic Church is ambiguous; it’s indifferent toward the shroud. [Dr. Johnston also said] the Catholic Church is not interested in educating people about the shroud. He thinks the Church is probably afraid of the shroud because it might think that maybe the shroud isn’t real, that’s kind of what he insinuates. Those kinds of remarks … I just couldn’t believe it. I thought it was so disrespectful. It’s such nonsense,” Dr. Kearse remarked. “He had quite a few, I thought, anti-Catholic remarks. He said he has an allergic reaction to Catholic relics.”
“What is his motivation for saying this? He thinks this is proof of the resurrection and it needs to be brought out more because this is an important story for mankind. The Catholic Church’s official position is neutral. It says it is neither pro-authentic nor skeptical. It is not saying it’s real, but it is not saying it isn’t real. The Church is wise. This isn’t its first rodeo. It has been around for 2,000 years. I think the Church is wise and patient. And that is why it maintains its stance of neutrality on the shroud,” he added. “As a scientist, my position is the same as the Catholic Church.”
It’s a position that neither Dr. Kearse nor the Church arrived at casually.
“Honestly, when people say, ‘Hey, do you think the shroud is real?’ or, ‘You think the shroud is real, right?’ I always say, ‘Honestly, I don’t know. I just don’t think enough has been done.’ And that’s how I honestly feel. There really has been only one major investigation of general properties that has ever been done, and that was back in 1978. It was a team of about 50 scientists. It was called STURP, for Shroud of Turin Research Project Team. They went and examined it for about five days straight. There were some other scientists present. That was more than 40 years ago. In 1988, they did the carbon-dating. Those are the only two times it has really been scientifically investigated in any type of detail at all,” he said.
But science has evolved dramatically since 1978.
“The technology has improved so much. You need to go back and look at certain things to decide if we need to follow down this path or do we really not need to worry about that, etc. I just don’t think enough has been done. These guys will talk about it as if it’s so solid, it’s the most studied artifact in human history, etc. But it’s not like a lot of science, where you go back in the lab and work on the original source and say, ‘Let’s figure this out.’ It’s not like that,” Dr. Kearse shared. “I think it’s intentionally over-hyped by those people. It’s their important message that has to get out: This is physical proof of the resurrection.”
Dr. Kearse, who has been studying the shroud since 2010, said they believe that, and they want everyone to know it’s so, and that position is based on emotion, not the science that exists. He is concerned there hasn’t been “rigorous objectivity” applied to the study of the Shroud of Turin.
“With the shroud crowd, if you doubt or try to go on a middle road to be objective and see if there are any other explanations, it’s automatically assumed you are doing harm here. You’re going against
what you should be doing. But you need to have more objective scientists who don’t have any skin in the game to look at it just from a scientific standpoint and investigate it. I think that’s what is really lacking,” the scientist contends. “These stories get built on data that isn’t that solid, and they just get echoed and echoed and echoed and echoed. Then you have a guy going around saying that the blood has been demonstrated to be from a male, it’s from a human, it’s type AB, it’s Semitic.”
“I think what it shows is that you have authentic blood components present. I like to say that instead of ‘Well, it’s blood,’ because you don’t really know if something might have been added to it. You don’t really know. But those components you test for, they are there. It’s like hemoglobin, signature molecule [of] blood, there is solid evidence for that. Albumin, abundant protein and blood serum, immunoglobulin, there is good evidence for that. And that has been published in peerreview journals,” he noted. “What has never been published in a peerreview journal is that the blood is human, the blood is male, the blood is AB, the blood is Semitic. Those major claims sound very impressive in these media interviews. But if you go back and trace the data, it’s not there. They are just small glimpses. They are things written in books or a shroud magazine, but not a regular route in a scientific journal that you would expect.”
“As a scientist, it is unimaginable that you would not want to publish in a scientific journal. That is where most of this information is [in non-peer reviewed formats],” he continued.
Dr. Kearse also points out that throughout history as the shroud was viewed, handled, poked, and prodded, those reviewing it typically did not wear gloves, which gave rise to cross-contamination on a microscopic level. And as blood tests on the shroud were performed with antibodies, scientists now know that such antibodies would have also reacted with blood from a variety of animals, including primates, rodents, dogs, cats, and other species.
So, the scientific conclusion from the shroud blood tests is “species unknown.” “I don’t think you can say it if you don’t have the evidence to back it up. That is one of my main messages. That’s what gets me the most about all this. You can write whatever you want in a book or a shroud magazine,” he said.
Dr. Kearse referred to the website for the International Center for Shroud Studies in Turin, which is an authority on the Shroud of Turin and is located near the Shroud of Turin museum and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This is the only center in the world to be officially recognized by the Pontifical Custodian of the Shroud. “This is what they say on their website: ‘The identification of the species of the blood stains on the shroud is still a subject of study.’ That is their official line. That is from the official group even though this guy [Johnston] is saying the blood has been shown to be human.”
As much research and collaboration as Dr. Kearse has put into the Shroud of Turin over the past 15 years, he has come to this conclusion: science cannot definitively prove that the shroud is real. Prove is a very
Shroud continued on page B9
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Holy Father views the shroud Pope Francis touches the case holding the Shroud of Turin after praying before the cloth in 2015 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy.
Chattanooga Deanery Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy
Monsignor Al Humbrecht’s next book study will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the church. The book is And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. To register, call the church at 423-332-5300 or e-mail hscc_parish@holyspirittn.com
St. Bridget, Dayton
The Women’s Council held its annual “Fall Into the Holidays” bake sale and bazaar on the weekend of Oct. 11-12. They will gather to celebrate September and October birthdays at Home Folks Family Restaurant in Soddy-Daisy at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Knights of Columbus Council 11424 accepted donations for smoked pork shoulders through the end of September. They were distributed on the first weekend in October.
The youth group held a car-wash fundraiser in the church parking lot on Oct. 4.
St. Jude, Chattanooga
The parish’s fall festival is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, and will feature games, prizes, an inflatable slide, a cake walk, a bounce house, funnel cakes, hot dogs, and more.
The Knights of Columbus are collecting “Coats for Christmas” at weekend Masses through Oct. 25-26. Coats, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, toiletries, new socks and underwear (especially if all of these items are in adult sizes), and other donations may be placed in boxes in the vestibule for distribution to a homeless center and the Ladies of Charity.
The 12th annual Craft Fair & Hobby Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, in the family life center gym. More than 40 local crafters and artisans will be selling handmade items such as stained glass, jewelry, art, pottery, and canned goods. Visit stjudechattanooga.org/news/craftfair to register or learn more. The Knights will provide lunch at the show.
The Council of Catholic Women held an International Rosary on Oct. 7 followed by a potluck dinner in the parish life center.
St. Mary, Athens
Bishop Mark Beckman installed Father Christopher Manning as pastor of St. Mary at Mass on Oct. 12.
Middle- and high-school youth played at Midway Mini Golf in Athens on Oct. 1. Parishioners attended a Heartbeats & Harmonies bluegrass and gospelmusic outdoor concert on Oct. 4 at the Athens Market Pavilion to support the Full Circle Medical Center for Women in Athens.
The parish book club this month is studying the C.S. Lewis work The Great Divorce
St. Stephen, Chattanooga
The parish picnic, sponsored by the parish council, will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the church. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be cooked by members of Knights of Columbus Council 6099. All food and drinks will be provided by the parish. To volunteer, sign up in the vestibule or call the parish office at 423-892-1261.
The Knights are collecting “Coats for Christmas” through Sunday, Oct. 19, to benefit the needy, homeless, and veterans in the area. New or wellcared-for used coats may be placed in boxes in the vestibule during the drive. Donations for the drive may be sent to Council 6099 at KofC 6099, P.O. Box 21481, Chattanooga, TN 37424 with “coats” marked on the check memo.
The Knights recently named Michael Coe as Knight of the month and Mike and Mickey Doyle as family of the month.
Anniversaries: Robert and Karen Adney (59), James and Sue Berros (57), Mike
and Wanda Williams (57), Bill and Fran Balsis (51), Rich and Nancy Koprek (51), Zharkov and Angelica Vadil (20)
Cumberland Mountain Deanery
Blessed Sacrament, Harriman
A Fatima Rosary Rally was held on Oct. 11 in front of the Blessed Mother statue behind the parish center.
The Knights of Columbus again this year will sell Keep Christ in Christmas cards and other articles such as magnets, yard signs, and ornaments. Review a brochure in the narthex or talk to a Knight in the church hall after weekend Masses. Call Frank Knies at 865-6036913 to learn more or place an order.
St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade
With October being the month of the rosary, parishioners will pray the rosary at 4:40 p.m. Saturdays before each vigil Mass at 5.
A blessing of animals took place Oct. 6 after Mass.
A healing Mass was celebrated on Oct. 8, with a blessing of prayer blankets and shawls held the same day.
Mary Maeder offered reflections on the parish’s Marian icon on Oct. 10.
The Knights of Columbus lead a rosary on third Wednesdays for an end to abortion.
Anniversaries: Jack and Virginia Smith (64), Larry and Myra Opatik (63), Ken and Kathy Bromberek (59), Steve and Pat Jennings (59), Robert and Jane Madon (59), Anthony and Mary Jane Gradle (58), Raymond and Carole Brzezinski (56), Donat and Terry Renaud (55), Joseph and Rita Schurger (55), Greg and Loni Monahan (52), Charles and Kathryn Randall (51), John and Rosemary Kessberger (50), Mark and Diane LaSance (50), John and Geraldine Gendall (40), Michael and Elizabeth Puhl (40), Charles and Janie Briede (35), Danny and Kay McGarvey (35), James and Stephanie McMahon (30)
St. John Neumann, Farragut
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is carrying out a food drive this month to benefit the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville emergency-assistance program.
The Harvesting for Him fall festival is set for the weekend of Oct. 18-19.
Knights of Columbus Council 8781 needs volunteers to work food concessions at University of Tennessee home football games Nov. 1, 15, and 29. Proceeds from the work fund about $20,000 in charitable donations that the council makes each year. Contact Pete McKenzie at 865-680-2116 (include “Neyland” as the first word in a text to him) or peter37922@yahoo. com for more information.
St. Joseph, Norris
Patricia McGlade of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s LaFollette
Pregnancy Help Center thanked parishioners for collecting $2,328.30 in a recent baby-bottle fundraiser.
The parish collected $1,231 for the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic at Mass on Sept. 14.
Five Rivers Deanery Holy Trinity, Jefferson City
Pastor Father Jim Harvey recently announced that Holy Trinity will “adopt” diocesan seminarian Gerald Stults. All parish organizations, religiouseducation classes, Bible study groups, deacons, and parishioners are invited to pray for or send a short note of encouragement to Mr. Stults at Conception Seminary College, P.O. Box 502, Conception, MO 64433.
The Council of Catholic Women will hold its first meeting of the year, including a potluck lunch, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, in Trinity Hall.
Parish notes continued on page B8
Bishop appoints St. Joseph the Worker Parish’s first-ever deacon Bishop Mark Beckman has appointed the first-ever deacon to serve at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville. Deacon Walter “Walt” Stone will serve alongside pastor Father Julius Abuh, pictured with him above. Deacon Stone comes from the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas. He was ordained a permanent deacon on Sept. 26, 2009, and has served at St. Catherine of Siena, St. Michael the Archangel, and St. Patrick Cathedral parishes in the Fort Worth Diocese. His ministry experience includes religious education, marriage preparation, hospital and prison ministry, respect-life work, and service in liturgy and worship. He and his wife, Diana, now live in Vonore while their three adult children remain in Texas. Father Abuh introduced Deacon Stone to the parish on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Sept. 14. He was warmly welcomed at Mass and at a brunch in the parish hall. St. Joseph the Worker was founded by the Glenmary Home Missioners as the Catholic Community of Monroe County in 1992 and received its canonical name at Christmastime in 2000. Glenmary turned over care of the parish to the diocese in July 2003.
Jude Legion of Mary praesidium visits Virgin of the Poor Shrine The Legion of Mary praesidium Our Lady Mother of the Church from St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga on Sept. 1 made a pilgrimage to the Virgin of the Poor Shrine in New Hope, Tenn., which is not far from Our Lady of Lourdes Church in South Pittsburg. While there the group participated in an outdoor Mass celebrated by Our Lady of Lourdes pastor Father Mark Scholz and a walking rosary. Members enjoyed a potluck lunch after the rosary. Pictured from left are (seated) Nicole Moreau and Pat Crowe; (middle row) Gail Black, Kathy Block, Alice Cooper, and Charlotte Norris; and (back row) Lee Norris, Tom Black, Carla Borrelli, Jean Trudel, and Paul Trudel. The shrine was built as the first American response to the Marian apparitions that occurred in Banneux, Belgium, in 1933 and is dedicated to Our Lady, Virgin of the Poor. The shrine has its origins in the early 1970s. Bishop James D. Niedergeses of the Diocese of Nashville dedicated the chapel at the Virgin of the Poor Shrine in 1982.
Holy Ghost Parish seeking names for books of ‘Our Dearly Departed’
In advance of next year’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of its current church building, Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville is creating volumes of “Our Dearly Departed” to be placed permanently near the St. Joseph altar.
The parish would like to devote one page to each of its deceased members with a goal of praying for the repose of souls in purgatory.
To have a page for a loved one placed in the books, submit an 8 1/2-by-11 page for each person. Pages will be placed alphabetically in the books, which will be where parishioners may view them.
Pages can be simple with facts such as names and dates of birth and death taken from a family
Bible or more elaborate, with first Holy Communion or marriage photos. A page may contain an obituary or funeral prayer card.
Pages may also be submitted for those outside one’s family such as friends, classmates, or women and men religious.
Holy Ghost’s records are incomplete, and the parish is relying on input to make the effort a meaningful success.
Submissions will become the property of the parish. Names should be placed on the back of submissions.
Bring pages to the parish office or give them to Linda Bolen or Donna Charron. Call 865-524-7957 for more information. ■
Advent concert set at St. John Neumann
St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut will present “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, featuring Catholic artists Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger, who performed at the National Eucharistic Congress last year.
Adoration will cap the event. General-admission tickets are $30 and VIP tickets are $75. VIPs have access to special seating, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and drinks and to a meet-and-greet before the concert. Tickets are at www.itickets.com/ events/484242 ■
COURTESY OF JENNIFER NEWMAN
COURTESY OF ELISSA EDWARDS
St.
Bishop Mark Beckman invites young adults ages 18-35 to explore the mystery of Catholicism at meetings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on selected Tuesdays at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery. Young adults interested in a systematic exploration of being Catholic are invited to attend. The series began Sept. 9 and continues Oct. 28 and Nov. 4, with dates subject to change because of the bishop’s schedule. More dates will follow. Attendees are invited to bring their own beverages and snacks. RSVP for a date to help with planning at dioknox.org/events
The diocesan Office of Vocations is holding a Men’s Discernment Group for men interested in discerning if God is calling them to the priesthood. The group will be hosted by Father Mark Schuster from 9 a.m. to noon on fourth Saturdays in the St. John Paul II Conference Room at the Chancery office in Knoxville, with the next meeting Oct. 25. If you are interested in joining the Men’s Discernment Group, fill out the form at forms.office.com/r/ CmSwudiVnf or e-mail vocations@ dioknox.org. There will be a Zoom option for those not in the Knoxville area.
St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge will celebrate its 75th annual Fall Festival on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1718. The festivities begin Friday with a spaghetti dinner hosted by the Knights of Columbus that also features a live auction. On Saturday, the festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine with live entertainment all day; a hayride to a pumpkin patch; regional vendors offering handmade goods, crafts, and seasonal treats; the White Elephant Sale; tamales and more at the Cantina Booth; classic carnival games, inflatable attractions, and more; face painting; and a silent auction. For more information, contact the parish office at 865-482-2875 or follow St. Mary on Facebook at SaintMaryOakRidge and on Instagram. Visit stmarysoakridge.org/ourparish-life/2025-fall-festival/ for more information, including presales, vendor registration, and auction previews.
St. John Neumann Parish and School in Farragut will host the annual Mustang Miler 5K and 1-mile fun run on Saturday, Oct. 18. The fun run will take place from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and the 5K run/walk from 9 to 11 a.m. Cost is $32.80 for both events but will increase after Oct. 17. The race will begin at the school and go along the greenway in Farragut, and it will be professionally timed with various prize categories. The fun run will be along a shorter route on the same course. Participants in both events will receive a T-shirt and a commemorative medal. They can also run or walk in Halloween costumes (optional) with prizes for best costumes. Sign up at tinyurl. com/559amdkx
The One Heart Colombia Mission is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an event set for 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. Esteban Salazar will perform a free concert, and refreshments will be served. The mission was founded in 2005 and is supported by several parishes in the diocese. One Heart Colombia assists the village of Marsella, Colombia. The mission is led by Father Antonio Giraldo, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Townsend.
Women of the diocese are invited to an evening of inspiration and prayer at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 21, hosted by Regnum Christi of Knoxville. Guest speaker Jackie Angel will present a talk on “Addressing Our Wounds.” Mrs. Angel is a full-time worship leader, vlogger, author, singersongwriter, and homeschooling mom of four. Together with her husband, Bobby Angel, she has written Pray, Decide, and Don’t Worry: 5 Steps to Discerning God’s Will and Forever: A Catholic Devotional for Your Marriage. She is also a regular presenter on the Ascension Presents channel on YouTube. Mr. and Mrs. Angel have a podcast, “Conversations with Jackie and Bobby,” and Mrs. Angel recently launched the “Memorize Scripture” podcast. The talk will begin at 7 p.m. with worship music and adoration at 8.
Cost is $15. Register at dioknox.org/ events/womens-talk-addressingour-wounds. For more information, visit jackieandbobby.com
Catholic Dads is hosting a Charity Golf Classic on Thursday, Oct. 23, at Avalon Golf & Country Club in Lenoir City. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., with an invocation and announcements at 9:45, a shotgun start at 10, and an awards and closing ceremony at 3:15 p.m. Costs are $100 for a single player and $400 for a foursome. Included are green fees, golf carts, range balls, breakfast and lunch, drinks, and prizes for top-three teams, longest drive, and closest to the pin. Sponsorship opportunities are available at levels from $250 to $7,500-plus. To register for, become a sponsor of, or find out more about the tournament, visit app.eventcaddy.com/events/ catholic-dad-s-golf-classic. To learn more about Catholic Dads, visit www. catholicdads.org
The Legion of Mary is holding a “Light Up the Night for Mary” event at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, at the outdoor shrine of the Blessed Mother at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. Glow-in-the-dark rosaries and blessed medals and bracelets will be available. For more information, contact Elissa Edwards at 508-769-8156 or ejedwardstn@gmail.com
The inaugural Southeast Tennessee Men’s Conference, themed “A Pilgrimage to Christian Masculinity,” is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on All Saints Day, Saturday, Nov. 1, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. Speakers are Father John Orr, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville; Jimmy Dee, director of evangelization and faith formation for the Tennessee state Knights of Columbus; and Deacon Vic Landa of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman. The conference is designed to “deepen your relationship with Christ, renew your spirit to persevere—with inspirational speakers—and enjoy fellowship with area Christian men.” The office of readings and morning prayer will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by Mass at 8:30 and the conference afterward. Conference admission is $20 and includes meals and beverages. Register at dioknox.org/events/southeasttennessee-mens-conference-2025
All are invited to a dinner and a talk on St. John Paul II, themed “Be Not Afraid,” at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Seton Hall at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. The event is free, but space is limited. RSVP at dioknox. org/events/be-not-afraid-dinner
Women ages 18 to 35 are welcome to join the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., at their convent at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, for an informal chat over tea and cookies to learn more about religious life. There will be a Holy Hour at 5:10 p.m. with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a rosary, followed by supper with the Sisters. The Mary, Mother of Mercy Convent is at 6832 S. Northshore Drive in Knoxville. RSVP to knoxville@almamercy.org
The Divine Will Retreat originally set for the weekend of Nov. 7-9 at the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow in Knoxville has been canceled as one of the speakers, Father B. Thomas Celso, BDV, will be unable to attend. Those who have sent checks in payment for the retreat to Kristin Schueler should contact her at 423-353-7965 or KristinSchuelerFFL@ gmail.com
St. Meinrad Archabbey, a Benedictine monastery in southern Indiana, is hosting unstructured retreats for young adults. The cost is $50 and includes a guest room and all meals. Participants can join the monks in prayer, explore the beauty of the campus, and find time for quiet and rest with God. Father Simon Herrmann, OSB, director of young-adult engagement for St. Meinrad, and other monks will be available for one-on-one meetings. The next two retreats are scheduled for Nov. 7-9 and Jan. 9-11. E-mail Father Herrmann at yae@saintmeinrad. edu or visit www.saintmeinrad.org/ retreats/young-adult-retreats for more information.
Calendar continued on page B8
St. Bridget celebrates annual ‘Mass in the Barn’
St. Bridget Parish in Dayton held its annual “Mass in the Barn” at Pat and Barbara Bisson’s Fox Lookout Farm in Decatur on Sept. 20. Nearly 100 parishioners attended a 5:30 p.m. vigil Mass and enjoyed the potluck supper that followed. The Knights of Columbus provided hamburgers and hot dogs and handled the grilling duty, with the Women’s Council in charge of the serving tables. Hostess Barbara Bisson is in the foreground at left.
Knights at St. Stephen hold 35th annual golf tournament Gabe Nunley (above) tees off during the 35th annual Charity Golf Tournament held by Knights of Columbus Council 6099 at St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga on Sept. 6 at Brainerd Golf Club. Proceeds supported the Notre Dame High School Scholarship Fund and the council’s other charitable causes. The winning foursome was Robert Wilhoit, Scott Wilhoit, Hunter Ridley, and Kevin Holt. Second place went to Mike Doyle, Michael Doyle, Dennis Doyle, and Patrick Doyle and third to Chris Adams, Sean Kennedy, Andy Lane, and Adam Smith. Bob Adney won the award for longest drive, and Al Black (left) captured the closest-to-the pin honor.
Fiat of Ecclesial Magnanimity Award Don and Cynthia Davis (left) accept the award from Matt Davis, president of the Visitation Hospital Foundation board, and Stacy Cornwall, the foundation’s executive director.
St. Mary Parish in Johnson City receives Haiti foundation honor
Don and Cynthia Davis of St. Mary in Johnson City, coordinators of the parish Haiti Twinning Ministry, traveled to Christ the King Church in Nashville to accept the Fiat of Ecclesial Magnanimity Award on behalf of the parish.
The award, presented on Sept. 20 by the Visitation Hospital Foundation, is named after Mary’s fiat— her unconditional “yes” to God’s plan of salvation and the beginning of the Incarnation. St. Mary Parish received the honor in recognition of its support and commitment to the Visitation Hospital in Haiti since the facility’s founding.
The parish’s involvement began in 2005 when the Twinning Ministry partnered with the foundation to provide both spiritual and
financial support. In collaboration with the parish’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Ministry, the Twinning Ministry coordinates parish-wide fair-trade sales of coffee, tea, oils, and chocolates several times each year. These efforts not only support the producers of these goods but also help sustain the ongoing mission of the foundation. The foundation was established to provide compassionate, quality health care for the people of southwest Haiti and to empower them through health education and access to essential resources. Guided by a respect for human dignity and solidarity within the human family, the foundation continues to serve some of Haiti’s most vulnerable communities. Visit visitation hospital.org to learn more. ■
COURTESY OF LILLIAN ISAAC
JANET SPRAKER
COURTESY OF TERRY DUFFY (2)
Praying
for Perspective
by George Valadie
Encountering God in the Liturgy by Father Randy Stice
The culmination of the sacraments of initiation
Pope Francis: baptism, confirmation, and first Communion ‘form a single saving event’
In recent columns, we have explored the relationship between the Eucharist and the other sacraments. In the final column in this series, we will look at the Eucharist as the culmination of the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and first Communion.
In the first centuries of the Church, “the sacraments of initiation were conferred in a single continuous rite. Then, due to a number of different factors, confirmation came to be conferred separately from baptism, and in some cases confirmation was conferred after the Eucharist, altering the original order. In 1910, St. Pius X lowered the age of first Communion so that it was received before confirmation. As a result, the traditional order of the sacraments of initiation—baptism, confirmation, Eucharist—became for children baptism, Eucharist, confirmation.”1 This is still the sequence for children in most dioceses. However, unbaptized adults still receive the sacraments of initiation in a continuous rite, preferably at the Easter Vigil.
Baptism is “the door to life and to the kingdom of God.”2 It marks us as Christ’s own and confers the forgiveness of sins, new birth as God’s adopted children, incorporation into the Church, and communion with all baptized Christians. Its relationship to the Eucharist is expressed in different ways. The rite itself “expresses the orientation of baptism to the Eucharist by having the newly baptized child brought to the altar for the praying of the Our Father.”3 The conclusion of the rite anticipates confirmation and the Eucharist: “Through confirmation they will receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and, approaching the altar of the Lord, they
will share at the table of his sacrifice and will call upon God as Father in the midst of the Church.”4
Baptism introduces us into the life of the Trinity, and confirmation deepens this relationship. Confirmation enriches us with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, conforms us more closely to the Son, unites us more perfectly to His body, the Church, and draws us more deeply into Christ’s saving mission. Both baptism and confirmation confer a “seal” or “sacramental character” that “remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church.”5
Our participation in the life of the Trinity that began with baptism and was deepened by confirmation is fulfilled in the Eucharist. When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we receive the food of eternal life, manifest the unity of God’s people, offer ourselves with Christ, and pray for the unity of the family of God through a fuller outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The sacraments of initiation “so work together that they bring to full stature the Christian faithful, who exercise in the Church and in the world the mission of the entire Christian people.”6
The sacraments of initiation, said Pope Francis, “form a single saving event … in which we are inserted into Jesus Christ, who died and rose, and become new creatures and members of the Church.”7 Our reception of these three sacraments “bears a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishing of natural life. Born anew by baptism, the faithful are strengthened by the sacrament of confirmation and finally are sustained
Daily readings
Wednesday, Oct. 15: Memorial of St. Teresa of Ávila, virgin and doctor of the Church, Romans 2:1-11; Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9; Luke 11:42-46
Thursday, Oct. 16: Romans 3:21-30; Psalm 130:1-6; Luke 11:47-54
Friday, Oct. 17: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, Romans 4:1-8; Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11; Luke 12:1-7
Saturday, Oct. 18: Feast of St. Luke, evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:10-17; Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18; Luke 10:1-9
Sunday, Oct. 19: Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14–4:2; Luke 18:1-8
Monday, Oct. 20: Romans 4:20-25; Luke 1:69-75; Luke 12:13-21
Tuesday, Oct. 21: Romans 5:12, 15, 1721; Psalm 40:7-10, 17; Luke 12:35-38 Wednesday, Oct. 22: Romans 6:12-
by the food of eternal life in the Eucharist.”8 Through these sacraments, we “receive in increasing measure the treasures of the divine life and advance toward the perfection of charity.”9
These three sacraments together deepen our relationship with God, our relationship with the Church, and our communion with the Holy Spirit. In baptism we become God’s adopted children, new creatures. Confirmation then configures us more fully to Christ through the sacramental seal or character and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Eucharist deepens this union with Christ, for “the principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus.”10 In a similar way, the sacraments of initiation deepen our union with Christ’s body, the Church. In baptism, we are incorporated into the Church, to which confirmation binds us more perfectly. Eucharistic Communion unites us “to all the faithful in one body—the Church,” renewing, strengthening, and deepening the ecclesial communion “already achieved by baptism.”11
Third, the sacraments of initiation also progressively deepen our fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is first conferred at baptism, a relationship that is strengthened when we receive the seven gifts of the Spirit and are sealed with the gift of the Spirit in confirmation. In eucharistic Communion we not only receive the Body and Blood of Christ but also His Spirit. “By the gift of His body and blood,” writes St. John Paul II, “Christ increases within us the gift of His Spirit, already poured out in baptism and bestowed as a ‘seal’ in the sacrament of confirmation.”12
St. John Paul II beautifully sum-
marizes interplay of the sacraments of initiation as one saving event. “In the depths of eucharistic worship, we find a continual echo of the sacraments a Christian initiation: baptism and confirmation. Where better is there expressed the truth that we are not only ‘called God’s children’ but ‘that is what we are’ by virtue of the sacrament of baptism, if not precisely in the fact that in the Eucharist we become partakers of the body and blood of God’s only Son? And what predisposes us more to be ‘true witnesses of Christ’ before the world—as we are enabled to be by the sacrament of confirmation—than eucharistic Communion, in which Christ bears witness to us, and we to Him?”13 ■
1 Understanding the Sacraments of Initiation: A Rite-Based Approach, Father Randy Stice, p. 114
2 General Introduction to Christian Initiation (GICI), 3
3 Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), 1244
4 Order of Baptism of Children, 68
5 CCC, 1121
6 GICI, 2
7 www.vatican.va/content/francesco/ en/audiences/2014/documents/ papa-francesco_20140129_udienzagenerale.html
8 St. Paul VI, Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation
9 CCC, 1212
10 CCC, 1391
11 CCC, 1396
12 St. John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 17
13 Dominice Cenae, 7
Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox. org.
18; Psalm 124:1-8; Luke 12:39-48
Thursday, Oct. 23: Romans 6:19-23; Psalm :1-4, 6; Luke 12:49-53
Friday, Oct. 24: Romans 7:18-25; Psalm 119:66, 68, 76-77, 93-94; Luke 12:54-59
Saturday, Oct. 25: Romans 8:1-11; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 13:1-9
Sunday, Oct. 26: Sirach 35:12-14, 1618; Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
Monday, Oct. 27: Romans 8:1217; Psalm 68:2, 4, 6-7, 20-21; Luke 13:10-17
Tuesday, Oct. 28: Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, Ephesians 2:19-22; Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 6:12-16
Wednesday, Oct. 29: Romans 8:2630; Psalm 13:4-6; Luke 13:22-30
Thursday, Oct. 30: Romans 8:31-39; Psalm 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31; Luke
13:31-35
Friday, Oct. 31: Romans 9:1-5; Psalm
147:12-15, 19-20; Luke 14:1-6
Saturday, Nov. 1: Solemnity of All Saints, Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24:1-6; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12
Sunday, Nov. 2: The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls), Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40
Monday, Nov. 3: Romans 11:2936; Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36; Luke 14:12-14
Tuesday, Nov. 4: Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, bishop, Romans 12:5-16; Psalm 131:1-3; Luke 14:15-24
Wednesday, Nov. 5: Romans 13:8-10; Psalm 112:1-2, 4-5, 9; Luke 14:25-33
Thursday, Nov. 6: Romans 14:7-12; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; Luke 15:1-10
Friday, Nov. 7: Romans 15:14-21; Psalm 98:1-4; Luke 16:1-8
Saturday, Nov. 8: Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Psalm 145:2-5,10-11; Luke 16:9-15
St. Jude School and Knights of Columbus Council 8576 co-host annual golf tourney at Hixson course
St. Jude School and Knights of Columbus Council 8576 in Chattanooga co-hosted their annual golf tournament on Sept. 26 at Creeks Bend Golf Club in Hixson. This was a major fundraiser for both organizations, with money raised going for classroom improvements and the council’s charitable works. The tourney was a full-parish event as the Knights along with faculty, parents, and supporters of the school all worked together. In the golf cart are Deacon Paul Nelson (left) and Deacon Brian Gabor, preparing to tee off. In the photo at right, Glenn Gravett (left) and Raleigh Cooper cook hamburgers.
Sunday, Nov. 9: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; John 2:13-22
Monday, Nov. 10: Memorial of St. Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church, Wisdom 1:1-7; Psalm 139:1-10; Luke 17:1-6 Tuesday, Nov. 11: Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, bishop, Wisdom 2:23–3:9; Psalm 34:2-3, 16-19; Luke 17:7-10
Wednesday, Nov. 12: Memorial of St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr, Wisdom 6:1-11; Psalm 82:3-4, 6-7; Luke 17:11-19
Thursday, Nov. 13: Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Wisdom 7:22–8:1; Psalm 119:89-91, 130, 135, 175; Luke 17:20-25
Friday, Nov. 14: Wisdom 13:1-9; Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 17:26-37 ■
Crafters and artisans are invited to take part in the fifth annual Christmas Market, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Hardin Valley Event Center pavilion in Knoxville. Market proceeds will support American Heritage Girls Troop 0413 and Trail Life Troop 1413 from St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut. Registration is open for new vendors. Contact Sarah Bryant at jsbry 412@gmail.com to learn more or register. Space is limited and will fill up fast.
A SEARCH for Christian Maturity Retreat sponsored by the diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry will be held on the weekend of Nov. 14-16 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. The weekends are for any high-school juniors and seniors. The program is both rooted in the Catholic faith and open to young people of any denomination or creed. SEARCH provides an opportunity to think, talk, question, and wonder about life and faith in an accepting and challenging environment. It is an opportunity to experience God and God’s family in a personal and real way. The weekend is youth- and peer-oriented: it is run by youth, to youth, and for youth, all under the guidance of a team of adult mentors. The retreat starts on Friday between 6:30 and 7 p.m. and runs through Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $100, and scholarships are available if needed. Register at dioknox.org/events/ search-nov-2025
The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is set for Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 20-22, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. There will be two to three buses heading to NCYC from different points around the Diocese of Knoxville. The group will be staying at a hotel in downtown Indianapolis within walking distance from the convention center. NCYC is a powerfully unique threeday experience of prayer, community, evangelization, catechesis, service, and empowerment for Catholic teenagers (of high-school age) and their adult chaperones. NCYC is the premiere Catholic youth event on a national scale that gathers people from all across America for a life-changing encounter with Christ. The theme is “I AM.” Register a child or group at dioknox.org/ events/2025-national-catholic-youthconference
A Knights of Columbus car show is set for Saturday. Nov. 8. The Knights are holding their annual Tootsie Roll Drive through the weekend of Oct. 25-26 to benefit those with intellectual disabilities.
Anniversaries: Ron and Linda Henry (65), Earl and Marilyn Blankenship (57), Greg and Polly Freund (45), David and Anne Orzechowski (40), Gregory and Lorrain Lennon (25), Dorsey and Laura Brown (15)
Notre Dame, Greeneville
Post-confirmation middle- and highschool students are invited to a Venture: The Bible Timeline program that begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, in the Marian Room. Students can learn about salvation history as narrated by speaker and author Mark Hart, “The Bible Geek.” Register in the narthex.
Parishioners attended a Mass and enjoyed hot dogs and a hayride on Oct. 8 at the Myers Farm pumpkin patch and corn maze in Bulls Gap.
Anniversaries: Larry and Valerie Dolese (61), Phil and Fran Carter (50), Joseph and Sylvia McBride (50)
St. Dominic, Kingsport
The senior ministry is holding a fall celebration from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, in the parish life center hall. Pulled pork will be served, and the event will feature music by Mark Dolan and prizes.
The parish is producing a video to be displayed in the narthex during Veterans Day Masses next month. Veterans can submit a photo of themselves in uniform and a recent photo as well as their service affiliation, dates, and primary duty or duties.
Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 22. Bishop Mark Beckman will celebrate a bilingual Mass, followed by a dinner celebration at the Hilton Knoxville Airport hotel in Alcoa. More details to come.
The Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow invites all current eighth-graders to its Odyssey Day set for 7:50 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, at the Chesterton campus, 217 Fox Road in Knoxville. The schedule includes Mass at 8 a.m., and parents will have an opportunity take part in tours and presentations. RSVP or learn more at knoxchesterton.com/odysseyday Chesterton Academy will celebrate its fourth annual Vision Gala (formerly called the Pearl Gala) at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Bishop Mark Beckman will attend. The event is free, with signature cocktails, a catered dinner, performances by Chesterton Academy students, table games and entertainment, and presentations about Knoxville’s first classical Catholic high school. The academy’s enrollment doubled last year, and enrollment is expected to double again next year. For more information on the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow, visit knoxchesterton.com or e-mail zach@knoxchesterton.com. RSVP for the gala at knoxchesterton.com/gala
Catholic in Recovery is a 12-step recovery ministry that holds meetings each Monday at 7 p.m. at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga and each Sunday at 6 p.m. at All Saints Church in Knoxville. CIR provides hope and healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments. Family members impacted by a loved one’s addiction are also encouraged to attend. Meetings combine the spiritual principles of 12-step recovery and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Join others in recovery as the meetings overlap Scripture from Sunday Mass readings, liturgical themes, and recovery topics with honest discussion and prayer. Confidentiality is protected. The St. Dominic gatherings are hybrid meetings, in person in the St. Thomas Aquinas Room of the parish life center or online at tinyurl.com/ cir-zoom-tricities-tn. For more information, visit www.catholicinrecovery.
St. Patrick, Morristown
Author, entrepreneur, and speaker Sam Goodwin, who was taken hostage and imprisoned for 63 days in Syria, will tell his story of faith at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, in the parish center. Dinner will be provided by Jersey Girl Catering in Morristown. Cost is $25. Tickets will be sold after all Masses in October.
Knights Council 6730 will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Bishop Mark Beckman will preside at a Mass at 4 p.m., followed by a dinner at the Morristown Landing recreation center, 4355 Durham Landing in Morristown. A cash bar will start at 5:30 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner with a choice of chicken breast or roast beef, a program, and awards from 6 to 9.
Young adults held a social night in the parish center on Oct. 8.
Paul Simoneau, vice chancellor for the Diocese of Knoxville and director of its Office of Justice and Peace, spoke on “Baptism and the Mass We Must Live” on Sept. 25 in the youth room.
Parishioners prepared 300 gift bags with snacks and treats for first responders in September, and Masses on Sept. 29, the feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, were offered for the intentions of first responders.
Anniversaries: Robert and Judy Himmelsbach (55), Tim and Tracy Doyle (30), Emiliano Flores-Garcia and Patricia Melchor (20), Miguel and Guadalupe Quintero-Arrendondo (20), Marciano and Josefa Bartolon-Velasquez (15)
Smoky Mountain Deanery
Immaculate Conception, Knoxville
Parishioner and retired University of Tennessee professor Dr. Al Hazari will hold
Secular Franciscans gather for Transitus service
The Channel of Peace Fraternity of the Secular Franciscans gathered Oct. 3 at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy to celebrate the Transitus of St. Francis. Monsignor Al Humbrecht, spiritual assistant for the fraternity and pastor of Holy Spirit, celebrated Mass before the Transitus service. The service is held annually on Oct. 3 by Franciscans throughout the world to commemorate the death of St. Francis of Assisi.
com. For more details on the meetings at St. Dominic, contact Jena at cir. tricities.tn@gmail.com or call Oscar at 423-213-2434. For the meetings at All Saints, call Martin Ohmes at 865-4384905 or e-mail CIRAllSaintsKnoxville@ gmail.com. Contact Deacon Wade Eckler about the meetings at OLPH at 423322-3493 or weckler@myolph.com
The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. Call Toni Jacobs at 561315-5911 if you have any questions.
Join Father Mike Nolan on a pilgrimage April 13-23, 2026, to France and Spain. The group will visit Lourdes, exploring the birthplace of St. Bernadette and experience the healing waters from the springs of Lourdes, Stations of the Cross, a candlelight rosary procession, and a blessing of the sick. Pilgrims will visit the tomb of St. Thomas Aquinas at
his 35th annual Chemistry Magic Show from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in room 555 at Buehler Hall on the UTKnoxville campus. The event is free and parking in the garage at White Avenue and 11th Street is also free. For more details, e-mail Dr. Hazari at ahazari@utk. edu
IC and Knights of Columbus Council 645 this month are hosting a baby-bottle drive to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center. The effort has a goal of $3,000. For every $500 raised, the Knights through their Aid and Support After Pregnancy program will add $100.
The Women’s Group’s annual Craft Fair will be held in the parish hall on the weekend of Nov. 8-9. Those interested in a booth should contact Beth Meyer at meyer.beth73@gmail.com or 865456-8857. The fee is $20 and must be paid in advance. To donate a theme basket for the fair, contact Pat Ryan at 4065patryan@gmail.com
A Haiti Fest Dance on Saturday, Nov. 15, will benefit IC’s twin parish in Fonddes-Blancs, Haiti.
A mini-retreat on “Taking Care of God’s Creation” was held on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi on Oct. 4 in the parish hall.
The parish thanked the Women’s Group for its gift of $500 from the proceeds of its booth at the recent Irish Fest where the ladies sold dessert and Irish coffee.
Sacred Heart, Knoxville
A Women’s Ministries Potluck Social took place on Sept. 16 in Cathedral Hall.
The St. Martha’s Guild held its annual mum sale after Masses on Oct. 4-5.
the Jacobins Church as well as Pamplona, the birthplace and childhood home of St. Francis Xavier, the 16thcentury evangelist, and will visit Xavier (Navarre), where they will tour the castle where St. Francis Xavier was born. The group will go on to Zaragoza, home to the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, and Montserrat, site of the Benedictine monastery and the Black Madonna. Pilgrims will visit the small town of Verdu, the birthplace of St. Peter Claver, and go on to Barcelona, visiting the Cathedral of Barcelona, the Basilica of the Holy Family, La Sagrada Familia, the almost-finished masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi, and the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, the Cathedral by the Sea. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at lisam@select-intl.com or 865-567-1245.
Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, at 2 p.m. each Sunday and at 6 p.m. most Mondays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City, and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.KnoxLatin Mass.net n
The latest Movie Night with a Priest featured the 2025 film Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality on Oct. 10 in Cathedral Hall.
St. John XXIII, Knoxville
The parish has a new assistant director of music, Natalie Kimbro. She is a Knoxville native and an alumna of Sacred Heart Cathedral School and Knoxville Catholic High School. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Tennessee.
Five ministers of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) have been announced by the parish for 2025-26. They are Jayden Bates, Ben Delaughter, Ava Keating, Connery Van Dyke, and Emily Williams.
St. John XXIII’s Knights of Columbus officers have been announced for 202526, with Ben Watson as Grand Knight and John Knighton as deputy Grand Knight.
St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville
A Seven Sisters Apostolate has been formed in the parish to pray every day for pastor Father Julius Abuh. To join the group, call Tina Bolton at 561-2024760. Visit SevenSistersApostolate. org to learn more.
Denise Michaud hosted a Rosary Rally for Peace on Oct. 11 in Madisonville as part of the America Needs Fatima Rosary Rally.
The Women’s Group is holding a baby shower at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, in the parish hall to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. Items will be collected to support new moms.
A Spanish Food Festival on Oct. 5 benefited St. Joseph the Worker’s parish life center project. n
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COURTESY OF BARBARA GARRISON
UT-Chattanooga Knights raise $18,000-plus for student-center work
The Knights of Columbus in Council 17919 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga have raised more than $18,000 to renovate the flooring of the Catholic Student Center, a project completed at the beginning of fall semester.
Pictured on a recent work day are (from left) Luke Speyrer, Jack Kaley, Kestutis Dubininkas, Warren Sparks, and Peter Zaleski.
Catholic Charities opens new Johnson City office
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee celebrated the grand opening of its new Johnson City office at 302 Wesley St., Suite 2, on Aug. 19. The new office provides for disaster relief, pregnancy and parenting help, immigration assistance, and more to the surrounding TriCities community. Glenmary Father Tom Charters, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin, blessed the new space. In the top photo are (from left) case managers
Anna Bel Andrade and Athena Wilburn of CCETN’s Disaster Relief Services, Maria Conroy of Pregnancy Services, Alma Vazquez of the Office of Immigrant Services, Michelle Moncier of Pregnancy Services, and CCETN executive director Deacon David Duhamel.
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COURTESY OF DAWN HOUSHOLDER (2)
strong word in the scientific arena.
Bishop confirms 49 at OLPH-Chattanooga Bishop Mark Beckman confirmed 49 young people on Sept. 19 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. Twenty high-school and 29 middleschool students were confirmed. Concelebrating the Mass were OLPH pastor Father Arthur Torres and associate pastor Father Andrew Crabtree. Deacon Wade Eckler of OLPH assisted.
gathering KDCCW board members pictured from left in the top photo are (front row) Patti Macken, Sally Jackson, Margarita Audette, Denise Eckler, treasurer Donna Dunn, vice president Rose Colasuonno, president Karen Meiring, secretary Mary Cooper, province director Teresa Leon, Pat Ryan, Patricia Forde, Joan Rowe, and Anne Wharton and (back row) immediate past president Michelle Peckman, Theresa Sexton, Teri Cleary, Susan Dandrow, Mary Wilson, Susan Collins, Jan Scobey, Christiana Courtney, Julie Bomar, and Father Dan Whitman. Present at the meeting but not pictured were Irene Rainwater and Brenda Ratcliff. In the bottom photo are (from left, front) Father Whitman with officers Donna Dunn, Rose Colasuonno, Karen Meiring, and Mary Cooper and (back) Michelle Peckman.
